Suction cleaner



Dec. 12, 1933. W. V. ORR

SUGTION CLEANER Filed Jan. l2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l` P -Lj WilliargI/ Ortz L x9 Oe a9 of W. V. ORR

Dec. 12, 1933.

SUCTION CLEANER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. l2, 1929 A' William V Ort 1'. 9 oezg to r L3 .Q t t orge 55 Patented Dec. l2, 1933 UNITED STATES SUCTION CLEANER William V. Orr, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 12, 1929. SerialvNo. 332,154

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-9) This invention relates to electric suction cleaners of the portable type and has for its object the provision of a new, simplied and improved extension connection for vacuum cleaners which shall dispense with the need of any displaceable or removable cap or cover or other part capable of becoming lost; the provision of an extension hose connection applicable either to a plain device or a brush deviceand in the latter case without interference with the brush driving means;

while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part o'f this application I have shown my improvements as applied to two specimen devices; Figs. l and 2 are side elevations partly in section of suction cleaners equipped with motor driven brushes, Fig. 1 showing the cleaner without attachment, and-Fig. 2 with the extension hose attachment in place; Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of a plain suction cleaner without motor brush, equipped with the same rotary valve as that employed in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a per- 26 spective view of the hose end member; Fig'. 5

is across section corresponding to the line 5 5.

of Fig'. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 6 is aperspetive view of the valve member.

I have chosen for an illustrative embodiment of my inventive idea an electric suction cleaner of the so-called horizontal type. Such a cleaner comprises a rigid casing comprising a motor-housing 1, fan-casing 2, and ycolleoting'-nozzle 3, secured together in the order named'from near to front,^and mounted on suitable wheels 4-4 so that the inlet mouth 5 with which the nozzle is provided is located substantially parallel with and in close proximity to the supporting surface. A

propelling-handle (not shown) is attached to the device in some suitable way as by means of trunnions, 6-6 carried by the motor-housing. A fan 7 inside the fan-casing 2 is carried on the shaft 8 of the motor (not shown), and a peripheral part of the fan-casing is provided with an outletneck 9 adapted for the reception of a dust-bag (not shown) whereby the litter is arrested and the air allowed to escape.

Interposed between the nozzle and the fancasing is a-valve-casing 10; if the point of 4'view be preferred, the portion of the nozzle nearest to the fan casing constitutes a valve chamber; and in this chamber or valve-casing is a hollow, valvemember 11 rotatable on an' axis coinciding with the yfan axis. This valve member here comprises a circular rotatable ring 12 tting rotatably inside an opening 13 in the forward face of thefan casing'and having integral therewith a web portion 14 which subtends substantially a semirevolution, in the present embodiment slightly more than 180 to give overlap, and integral with the forward edge of this web is a wall 15 apertured at 16 coaxial with the ring 12. I have shown the web 14 as somewhat tapered forwardly the better to merge with the nozzle contour, but this shape is a matter wholly of choice. What is important, however, is that the upper side of the valve casing 10 (or the upper side of the nozzle adjacent the fan casing) is provided with a narrow transversely arranged slot, defined ybetween 70. the forward face of the fan casing and a lip 17 spaced therefrom, and having ends 18--18 (Fig. 5)

The valve is inserted into place from the rear and held by means of an annular metal plate 20 suitably secured as by screws 21, the interior of the valve-member being always in free communication with the fan-chamber through the open center of this plate; and the valve is rotated in one direction or the other by means cf. a radial handle 22 projecting through the slot adjacent to 80 the face of the fan chamber (see Fig. 5). When turned in one direction the slot in the casing is closed by the web 14; when moved to the opposite extremity of its movement the web 14 is displaced from this slot and instead is interposed in the passageway 24 leading from the inlet mouth 5 to the fan chamber soA as to cut oil. communication along that route.

`When this is done it becomes possible to attach the hose connection shown in perspective in Fig. 4 and inplace in Fig. 2. This connection comprises a hollow nipple 25 suitably secured in the exible hose 26 and terminating at its other end in .a bifurcated head 27 shaped to enter the slot 1'1v and communicate with the interior of the 95 valve. I find it most convenient to attach this head to the valve rather than to any part of the casing, and one convenient way of doing this is to provide the ring 12 at a point opposite the web 14 with an ear 28 which,.when the valve is ro- 100 tated, stands uppermost and serves to receive the screw 29 with which the headv is provided. This screw is made with a shank 30 of reduced size interposed between the screw-threaded portion 29- and the head'31 in such wise as to enable longi- 105 tudinal movement as necessary for convenient manipulation without any possibility of loss. As a consequence there are no caps, covers, screws, nuts or other parts which can become lost or misplaced nor is any instruction or demonstration necessary to induce correct use of the apparatus. The valve also being immediately in view through the slot on the top of the nozzle cannot inadvertently be left in inoperative position.

The shape oi' the valve allows the same device to be used either on a brush type cleaner shown in Fig. 1 'or the plain suction sweeper illustrated in Fig. 3. In the former case I have shown the shaft 8 as extended forwardly into a belt charnber 33 formed in the front of the nozzle and there provided with a belt pulley 34 and belt 35 for operating the brush 36. The forward end of the shaft is shown as supported and steadied a ball-bearing l0 mounted in a cylindrical steel cup el; and to steady the valve and assist in supporting the same, the aperture i6 is made of a .size to t snugly the exterior o the projecting part of this cup. To prevent air leakage and to hold the valve in adjusted position, and to increase manufacturing tolerance, I have introduced a felt gasket 42 around this cup, and also a second felt gasket 43 between the ring 12 and plate 20.

In the plain suction cleaner shown in Fig.4 3, if it be desired to support and steady the forward end of the valve, the same can be done by means of a button i5 tted into opening 16 and itself having a central stud 46 received in a suitable socket 4'7 formed in the nozzle interior. This button can either be made separate and inserted in place, or by a very small and obvious change in the production dies can be cast integral in the valve. ,It is desirable however that the valve be supported and steadied by and between some flexible brous cushioningr elements such as felt washers 42, 43, since these exclude grit and dust which otherwise become wedged between the parts. There is no need for the existence of any close fit between the exterior of the valve member and the interior of the valve casing at any point excepting the seat of the ring 12 and the margins 1'7 and 18 of the slot. Indeed closeness of nt at other points is a disadvantage owing to the tendency of grit, which invariably becomes lodged in such places'in a cleaner, to bind and cut and scrape the same.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my improvements take cognzance of all substantial requirements encountered in vac- -uum cleaners; yet-it will be understood that many changes in design may be made, even to the extent of impairing some of the features of operation above described without departing from 'my inventive idea, wherefore I do not limit myself in any wise except as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed broadly, each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: f

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a motor-housing, a fan-casing, and a collecting nozzle arranged horizontally, said nozzle having an inlet opening presented toward the floor and also 'an opening presented away from the oor, the

portion of said nozzle which is nearest the fan chamber constituting a valve chamber, a hollow valve member located in said valve chamber with its interior communicating freely with the fan chamber and its axis coinciding with the fan axis, said valve member having a Wall defining a surface of revolution and provided at one section only of said surface with an opening which is adapted to register with said openings selectively, azhose connection adapted to fit said second opening, and means for detachably fastening said ing, and a collecting nozzle arranged one after the other with the axis of the motor substantially horizontal, said nozzle having an inlet opening presented toward the floor and also an opening presented away from the floor, the portion of said nozzle` which is nearest the fan chamber constituting a valve chamber, a hollow valve member located in said valve chamber withits interior com-- municating freely with the fan chamber, said valve member having a wall. defining a surface of revolution and provided at one section only of said surface with an opening which is adapted when the valve member is turned to register with said openings selectively, a hose connection adapted to nt said second opening, means for detachably fastening said hose connection to said valve member, a fan in said fan-chamber, a fan shaft traversing said valve chamber, and a brush-pulley carried by said shaft beyond said valve member, said brush-pulley being located inside said nozzle, and said valve member being spaced from the nozzle wall to aord room for said pulley.

3. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a' motor housing havingv a motor therein, a fan casing, and a connecting nozzle arranged one after the other with the motor axis substantially horizontal, said nozzle having an inlet mouth presented toward the oor and also an opening presented away from the floor, the portion of said nozzle which is nearest the fan chamber constituting a valve chamber, a hollow valve member located in said valve chamber with its interior turned towards and communicating freely with the fan chamber, the opposite end of said valve member having a reduced apertured polar portion, said valve member having an aperture in one section of its outer surface adapted to register either with said opening or with said inlet mouth, a hose connection adapted to traverse said opening when said valve member is turned in the appropriate direction, a bearing member carried by the interior of said nozzle, and engaging the polar portion of said valve member, and a soft packing between the opposite ends of said valve member and the parts adjacent thereto.

4. In a suction cleaner,- a casing comprising a motor-housing and a fan-casing arranged horizontally, and a collecting nozzle communicating with said fan-casing, saidnozzle having an inlet opening presented toward the floor and also an opening presented away from the floor, the portion of said nozzle which is nearest the fan chamber constituting a valve chamber, a horizontally arranged hollow valve member located wholly within said valve chamber with its interior communicating freely with the fan chamber, said valve member having a circumferential wall defining a surface of revolution and provided with an opening which is adapted to register with said nozzle openings selectively, a hose connection adapted to t said second named nozzle opening when said valve member is turned in the appropriate direction, means carried by said valve member and projecting from said second nozzle opening for turning said valve, and means for detachably fastening said hose connection in place in said second nozzle opening.

5. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a i Lesmo? motor-housing having a motor therein, a* fancasing, and a collecting nozzle arranged one after the other with the axis of the motor substantially horizontal, said nozzle having an inlet opening presented toward the iloor and also an opening member located in saidvalve chamber with its` interior communicating at alll times with the ian chamber, vsaid valve member having a wall delining a surface of revolution and provided with an opening which is adapted when the valve member is turned to register with said openings selectively, a hose connection adapted to tit said second opening when the valve member is turned in the appropriate direction, means for detachably fastening said hose connection to said valve member, a fan in said fan-chamber, a fan shaft traversing said valve chamber, and a brush-pulley carried by said shaft beyond said valve member, said brush-pulley being located inside said nozzle, and said'valve member being spaced from the nozzle wall to afford room for said pulley.

6. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a motor housing having a motor therein, a fan casing, and a connecting nozzle arranged one after the other with the motor axis substantially horizontal, said nozzle having an inlet mouth presented toward the iloor and also an opening presented away from the iloor, the portion of said stituting a valve chamber, a hollow valve member located in said valve chamber with its interior turned towards and communicating freely with the fan chamber, the opposite end of said valve member having a reduced apertured bearing portion, said valve member having an aperture in one section of its outer surface adapted to register either with said opening or withsaidl inlet mouth, a hose connection adapted to traverse said opening when said valve member is turned in the appropriate direction, a bearing member carried by the interior of said nozzle, and engaging the bearing portion of said valve member and felt packing between the opposite ends of said valve member and the parts adjacent thereto. v

WILLIAM V. ORR.

nozzle which is nearest the i'an chamber con- 

